The move comes after Maloney served for 20 years as the team’s radio color commentator.

So, following a conversation on my RINK RAP podcast last week with Captain Dave about the new gig, it seemed only right to find out exactly what younger brother Don has to say on the matter.

“Well, we always thought he had a face for radio, so this is quite a coup for him!”

If you know the Maloney brothers even just a little bit, you know quips and sarcasm are a big part of their relationship. So, for that to be Don’s initial comment about Dave on the most recent episode of the pod is totally in character.

In fact, in my windup to the audience about my three-decade relationship with Don, I segued into how after working with Don at the Islanders, I had the chance to work with Dave at the Rangers for a decade.

That prompted this interjection by the younger sibling.

“Yeah, sorry, I’ll apologize for the whole family about that!”

But you should know it goes both ways. When I told Dave last week that my best friend growing up in Queens (shoutout to Crister Larson!) bought a No. 12 Rangers jersey with “Don Maloney” stitched on it back in the day, he fired back with a quip of his own.

“Yeah, well, that’s because his jerseys were available on the [sales] rack and mine were all sold out.”

You get the idea. If the back and forth between these two Rangers legends was a tennis match, we’d be in a fifth-set tiebreak at Wimbledon by this point.

But all joking aside, there’s deep appreciation, respect and love between the brothers, who were also Rangers teammates. Dave at 68 is two years older than Don, and was Rangers captain when his younger sibling was called up from New Haven of the American Hockey League in February of 1979 and proceeded to score in his NHL debut at The Garden on his first shot against the Boston Bruins.

Together they helped the Rangers stun the Islanders in the playoff semifinals that spring and advance to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in five games to the Montreal Canadiens. After their playing days, each made his way back to the Rangers. Don was assistant general manager working under, first, Neil Smith and then Glen Sather; Dave as radio analyst, working primarily alongside Kenny Albert, who’ll also be his partner on MSGN next season.

“I’m very, very proud of him. You know, you just don’t show up at 6 o’clock for a 7 o’clock game and say, ‘So, what do you want to talk about tonight?’ There’s so much work and preparation that goes into it,” Don told me on RINK RAP this week. “It’s a lot of work, a lot of prep. And I always admired Dave for the amount of time he put in for the radio work. He’s always been a great partner with Kenny Albert, I think they do a great job. I’m really, really happy for him.”

Don added that he thinks it’s pretty cool Dave will be in the same role that one of their former teammates — and good friends — filled at the highest level for years.

“J.D. really set a standard,” Maloney said about former Rangers goalie, TV analyst and team president John Davidson. “You think about through the 80s and 90s and where he went and became this global ambassador of the game. And anybody that knows John Davidson, his personality, he’s upbeat, he’s funny, but has a very good mind. … He’s a really well-liked, easy person to listen to. He made it simple, even for us players, to understand what was going on on the ice.

“Dave had a good model to follow and he’s done really well in his own right.”

Don shared so many other stories and insights that are well worth listening to during our conversation.

You can check out the entire interview on YouTube or can LISTEN HERE.

New York Rangers news

The 2025-26 NHL schedule was officially released Wednesday. Our John Kreiser breaks down all you need to about the Rangers schedule next season.

One of the cool takeaways from my interview with Don Maloney was his take on why the Rangers missed Glen Sather — who stepped down as an advisor in June 2024 — so much last season, saying the veteran executive was “a senior voice to calm things down.”

If Scott Morrow really was the “Jack Eichel of the blue line” in college at UMass, the Rangers may have gotten a steal in the K’Andre Miller trade with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Breaking down the imperfect 3C choices for the Rangers ahead of training camp in September.

Recent Rangers draft pick Artyom Gonchar did a recent interview in Russia and spoke about the influence his famous uncle — former NHL star Sergei Gonchar — has on him. “He sees potential in me.”

Speaking of prospects, here’s our Top 10 list of future Rangers, after the 2025 NHL Draft.

The fans have their say! In a recent Forever Blueshirts poll on social media, fans voted overwhelmingly that the hiring of coach Mike Sullivan was the Rangers most impactful move this offseason.

On a sad note, former Rangers goalie Wayne Thomas passed away at the age of 77.

He’s extremely intelligent. That intelligence is often masked by his self-deprecating sense of humor. But neither trumps just how passionate he is about the Rangers.

“I do [bleed blue]. I really do,” Maloney told Forever Blueshirts on the RINK RAP podcast. “Obviously, this sport is a very passionate sport, it has a very passionate fan base … It’s just the ethos of how it works. … We all have innate biases to those things closest to us. So I have a passion, a bias to the Rangers. But what I hope to do is present it [during broadcasts] in a way that it’s not personal.

“I’m the tribal caller, the guys in the old Indian villages that called our tribe. Are we critical of the tribe sometimes? Certainly, because it becomes a reflection on us and we take it as reflection.”

Maloney’s passion for the Rangers runs deep. It was 51 years ago that the Rangers selected him in the first round (No. 14 overall) of the 1974 NHL Draft. Maloney debuted on Broadway at 18 years old, appearing in four games during the 1974-75 season.

He was a regular on the defense corps two seasons later, and in 1978-79 became the youngest captain in Rangers history. All of 22 years old at the time, Maloney helped lead the Rangers that season to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in five games to the Montreal Canadiens, upsetting the favored Islanders along the way.

That season, he was joined on the Rangers by his younger brother, Don.

“The most special time in my career,” big brother Dave called those seven seasons he and Don were Blueshirts teammates.

Maloney played 657 games in the NHL, 602 with the Rangers, and the rest in his final season with the Buffalo Sabres. Since 2005-06, he was Kenny Albert’s sidekick on Rangers radio broadcasts.

Dave Maloney is joining Kenny Albert in the booth!!@DaveMaloneyMSG | @NYRangers pic.twitter.com/xxJb1jYAty

— MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) July 9, 2025

Now, he and Albert move into the television booth together, replacing Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti, who each retired after last season. Taking this step alongside Albert makes it all even more special for Maloney.

“He’s just terrific, the best in the business,” Maloney said about his longtime on-air partner. “The absence of ego is reassuringly frightening. He’s a special guy. He really is.”

When told that he is deserving of this latest opportunity with the Rangers, Maloney graciously deflected the compliment.

“I’m not sure I ever deserved anything. I like to think that through the results of hard work, I’ve earned at least a look. … I’m just thankful for the opportunity.”

Related: Ryan Reaves recalls late-night vodka shots and basketball with Artemi Panarin

‘It’s amazing where life takes you’: Rangers TV analyst Dave Maloney

Maloney recounted how his first experience as a broadcaster was working alongside Kenny’s dad, legendary Rangers broadcaster Marv Albert. His fascinating and winding journey is not lost on Maloney.

“My first salvo in the booth was in the early 80’s when I got hurt in the playoffs and I ended up in the booth with Marv and Sal Messina as the third guy,” he explained. “Kenny was like 13 at that time (doing statistics for his father), and I got to know the Albert family well. So, it’s amazing where life takes you, right?”

Maloney worked outside of hockey for a number of years, though he did dabble in broadcasting, as well, including stints with Sports Channel, FOX, the Minnesota North Stars, and CTV in Canada.

He’s carried a certain perspective into the radio booth — and now on television — derived from his experience as an NHL player. It’s what balances his passion with compassion as he analyzes what’s going on.

“When the Rangers are good, my call is great! But the magic is when they’re not good to keep it on the up and up,” Maloney explained. “I respect the game so much … I don’t like the guys who played the game and only see the mistakes and don’t recognize that, hey, the game is really hard.”

So, too, is the broadcast business. And remaining tied to the same organization for half a century and all of your adult life.

At 68, Maloney is opening a new door and accepting a new challenge. He couldn’t be any happier than do it with the Rangers.

“I take great pride in being around one of the Original 6 franchises for this long and still be in a position where they say ‘OK, we’re going to tap this old guy on the shoulder and you’re going to continue to be a tribal caller.’ So, that’s awesome.”

WATCH the entire Dave Maloney interview on Forever Blueshirts YouTube

That Miller relished the villain role should only get the New York Rangers more fired up to see what their new addition will be like if they are able to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs this spring.

True, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison. On Team USA, Miller plays up and down the lineup, and with such a talented roster, he can really focus on being a vital support player. He’s excelling in that role, playing physically, dropping the gloves nine seconds into the game Saturday and playing a vital role alongside Rangers teammate Vincent Trocheck on the penalty kill.

Back in New York, Miller is looked to be a vital contributor in those areas as well. But the Rangers rely on his offensive production moreso than Team USA in this tournament.

Still, it must fire up Chris Drury and Peter Laviolette to see how Miller plays when the stakes are raised. He’s been an intense wrecking ball out there for the United States. It’s easy to picture all that he’ll do for the Rangers come playoff time.

COMBATS AU PLURIEL 🥊💥

#3 : Colton Parayko c. J. T. Miller#4Nations pic.twitter.com/yOg0XiPu4U

— RDS (@RDSca) February 16, 2025

As for his fight with Colton Parayko, well, in all honesty it could’ve gone better for the Rangers forward. Parayko had the upper hand in that one. But it was a fight Miller wanted. Not dissimilar to how he mucked it up generating a mini-melee at the start of Team USA’s 6-1 win against Finland on Thursday.

Of course, let’s not forget that when this midseason international tournament is over, the Rangers have 27 games left to actually make the playoffs. Right now, they sit three points out of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. But Miller’s battle level in these games gives you an idea of his passion to win and how that can rub off on the Rangers down the stretch and come spring time.

Subscribe to the Rink Rap podcast at the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page

New York Rangers news

Mika Zibanejad scored the game’s first goal, but it wasn’t enough for Sweden, which lost 4-3 in overtime to Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Chris Kreider was a healthy scratch for the second straight game for Team USA, but he could play Monday against Sweden.

Here’s a look at six important Rangers who need to be on top of their games coming out of the schedule break.

Dave Maloney explains why he “shed a tear” during games in Vancouver until Rangers finally re-acquired J.T. Miller.

NHL news

Already without defenseman Shea Theodore (week to week with upper-body injury), Canada played Saturday without Cale Makar, who was ill. He was replaced by Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley.

Connor McDavid and Canada are laser focused on a rematch with the United States in the 4 Nations championship game. But first they’ll need to defeat Finland on Monday.

Matthew Tkachuk left the U.S. win on Thursday with a lower-body injury in the third period. Team USA coach Mike Sullivan said the star forward is being evaluated.

NHL.com picked the right player to pen a blog for Finland throughout the 4 Nations Face-Off. They selected Stars forward Mikael Granlund, the very same player who scored the overtime game-winner against Sweden on Saturday. Here’s his take on “what a game.”

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson buried the hatchet in his public war of words with former Team Sweden coach Johan Garpenlov at the 4 Nations on Saturday.

Hockey Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom, one of the greatest players to ever come from Sweden, admitted that the current Sweden team at the 4 Nations is a notch below both Canada and the United States.

On the trade rumors front, it doesn’t appear the Edmonton Oilers are going to ask Jeff Skinner to waive his no-move clause despite his subpar first season with them.

The Seattle Kraken could be a popular shopping post for teams looking to upgrade ahead of the trade deadline. Brandon Tanev, Jaden Schwartz, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Andre Burakovsky are among those on the Kraken roster that teams are expressing interest in.

Sure, he loves this jewel of a city on the Canadian Pacific coast. Who doesn’t? But watching J.T. Miller play for the Canucks just about ruined each visit to Vancouver.

“When we did the broadcasts in Vancouver, I shed a tear every time I watched him play,” Maloney shared with Forever Blueshirts on the Rink Rap podcast. “He could’ve filled the void (with the Rangers). We’ve had players, nice players, senatorial-type players. But J.T. plays with a bite.”

What really got to Maloney was that Miller used to play for the Rangers. A first-round pick (No. 15 overall) by the Rangers in the 2011 draft, Miller came up through their system and developed into a solid pro before they traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning ahead of the 2018 deadline.

Not long after, he was flipped to the Canucks and blossomed into an NHL star. Miller scored 30+ goals in three straights season and had an NHL career-high 103 points last season, two years removed from a 99-point campaign.

Not only skilled, but Miller plays with a ferocious intensity. And plenty of bite, as Maloney noted.

Though the Rangers had their fare share of success after trading Miller, including trips to the Eastern Conference Final in two of the past three seasons, they missed that edge, which Miller provides in abundance.

“I was huge J.T. Miller fan. Huge,” Maloney said. “As I’ve told him personally, he could’ve played in our generation, in any generation in the history of the game. He’s an old-school guy, he’s an old-school soul and he brings an element as his career has matured that this franchise has not had. It’s not had someone that has the ability to play the way he plays. He plays hard. He’s a top-3 player.”

So, it comes as no surprise that Maloney fully endorsed the trade two weeks ago that brought Miller back to Broadway for a package that included center Filip Chytil.

“Exactly what the Rangers needed,” Maloney said.

Related: Mike Keenan reveals he almost had second chance to coach Rangers

J.T. Miller learned to ‘be a pro’ in first tenure with Rangers

Miller’s impact on the ice and in the dressing room was immediate. He scored two goals in his Rangers return against the Boston Bruins on Feb. 1 and he’s got four points (two goals, two assists) in five games. As important, others, like struggling center Mika Zibanejad, elevated their play after Miller’s arrival.

The Rangers are 3-2-0 since the trade, including an ugly loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins eight days ago. They did rebound for a dramatic comeback win the next night against the Columbus Blue Jackets and sit 11th in the Eastern Conference at the 4 Nations Face-Off break. They are three points out of the second wild card.

Miller is part of Team USA at the 4 Nations, playing a bottom-six role. He and Rangers teammate Vincent Trocheck were an excellent penalty-killing tandem in a 6-1 win against Finland on Thursday, a game Miller helped set the tone for when he caused a melee in front of the Finns net on his first shift.

That swag and bite was also evidenced in his postgame comments when asked about Canadian fans at Bell Centre vociferously booing the U.S. National Anthem.

“I think we like it,” Miller told reporters. “Not politically but just in the sense of we know where we’re at, in Canada. I think that fires us up more than anything.”

There’s also no complaining from Miller about his role on a stacked U.S. roster. It’s just the level of maturity he’s reached at age 31. It’s something he struggled with as a young pro chafing under coaches John Tortorella and Alain Vigneault.

“When he first turned pro, he had to learn how to be a pro. And he did,” Maloney stated.

And now that pro is back where he belongs.

Subscribe to the Rink Rap podcast at the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page

Dave Maloney and I were in agreement about that when we discussed our interest in the 4 Nations Face-Off on the latest Rink Rap podcast.

I may have to call Dave back now, though, and reconsider my position. I’m not going to lie, I really enjoyed the Sweden-Canada opener to the 4 Nations on Wednesday. Great crowd, great atmosphere, great game.

The only downside was seeing Shea Theodore sustain an upper-body injury and then hearing later that the Vegas Golden Knights defenseman is out for the remainder of the tournament. This becomes a bigger issue to me if he misses some time for Vegas after being hurt in an exhibition game.

I know the argument is that a player can get hurt at any time in any game, or even practice. Sure, it comes with the territory over an 82-game NHL schedule. But it’s so much more difficult to stomach when that injury occurs in a game that’s not for his NHL team, in my opinion.

Maybe Rangers fans don’t care. It’s Shea Theodore. It’s the Golden Knights. But you’ll be singing a different tune if Adam Fox sprains a knee or J.T. Miller pops a shoulder when the United States plays Finland on Thursday, for example.

But that said, yes, I’ll be watching that U.S.-Finland game and the rest of this mid-season tournament. Can’t keep me away from exciting hockey played by some of the best players on earth (did you see Sidney Crosby on Wednesday night?!). Just fingers crossed that there are no more injuries along the way.

Subscribe to the Rink Rap podcast at the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page

New York Rangers news

Mika Zibanejad nearly capped a stirring comeback by Sweden in overtime Wednesday, but Mitchell Marner eventually won it for Canada, 4-3, in OT.

J.T. Miller sees the 4 Nations Face-Off as a chance to grow “friendship and a bond” with new Rangers teammates Adam Fox, Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider on Team USA.

Our Tara Salvati provided a list of one thing each of the six Rangers taking part in the 4 Nations should try to accomplish at the tournament, outside of helping their team win it, of course!

Speaking of Dave Maloney earlier and his guest spot on Rink Rap, the former Rangers captain also had some really interesting things to say about Jacob Trouba and how revered he was as the Blueshirts leader during his tenure in New York.

John Kreiser breaks down the Rangers long road to landing a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference over the final 27 games of the regular season.

Tom Castro writes that the Rangers should be pretty concerned over Alexis Lafreniere’ regression this season.

NHL news

We wrote about the Columbus Blue Jackets and how general manager Don Waddell believes he owes it to his surprising team to keep it together ahead of and after the trade deadline and let it make a run at a playoff spot.

The NHL and NHLPA announced that the World Cup of Hockey featuring eight countries will return in 2028. That guarantees best-on-best international hockey tournaments every two years, beginning with the 2026 Milano Olympics and including the 2028 World Cup and 2030 French Alps Olympics.

Sidney Crosby was the First Star in Canada’s 4-3 overtime win against Sweden at the 4 Nations. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain had three assists and Canada has now won 26 straight international games with Crosby in the lineup.

Watch this slick Crosby feed to set up a Nathan MacKinnon power-play goal.

Canada coach Jon Cooper said “it’s heartbreaking for the kid,” referring to Shea Theodore sustaining an upper-body injury that knocks him out for the rest of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Miracle on Ice hero Mike Eruzione said that the current United States team competing at the 4 Nations “is the best collection of American talent ever put on the ice.”

Brad Marchand, speaking in Montreal where he’s playing for Canada at the 4 Nations, said he doesn’t expect the Boston Bruins to trade him ahead of the March 7 deadline even though he’s a pending unrestricted free agent.

Here’s a breakdown of what Noah Dobson’s switching agents means for him and the Islanders.

Jesse Puljujarvi explained why he sought to have his contract with the Penguins terminated earlier this week.

Seattle Kraken captain Jordan Eberle was assigned to Coachella Valley of the American Hockey League on a conditioning stint. He’s been out since November following pelvic surgery.

Watch Mitchell Marner score in overtime to help Canada defeat Sweden 4-3.

“There is no question, absolutely no question that he was the spiritual leader of that group. None,” Maloney stated on the Rink Rap podcast. “You talk to any of the younger defensemen, they literally bowed to him. He was a legitimate leader, was the legitimate captain of the group. But life moves on, it goes where it goes.”

Trouba was a heart-and-soul member of the Rangers for six seasons, the final three as captain. His final months with the Rangers were obscured by a downturn in on-ice play and a summer stand-off with management about his desire to stay in New York and Chris Drury’s eagerness to move him and his $8 million annual salary.

And there’s the real rub. The prism by which Rangers management and much of the fanbase viewed Trouba at the end of his time on Broadway. The 30-year-old wasn’t worth his salary cap hit and and was an expendable piece on the roster.

Maloney, the longtime Rangers radio analyst and former captain, completely understands that thinking. He points out Trouba’s broken foot last season as a big issue for his on-ice struggles. But in the end, Trouba’s on-ice value didn’t match the paycheck.

“(Contract) not his fault. It’s the market. That’s what the market was,” Maloney reasoned. “But fans, even hockey insiders, will value someone’s play on the contract, which is fair. But the $8 million a year? That’s what the market dictated and that’s what he got.”

In the short term, Maloney agreed that the Trouba situation was a major distraction and issue for the Rangers, from the summer through training camp, into the season and even for a bit after he was moved to the Ducks as part of a deal for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen.

The Rangers weathered a 4-15-0 stretch in November and December, roughly half of which Trouba was there for. They’re on a better path now, stabilizing the defense corps with Vaakanainen and Will Borgen (acquired from the Seattle Kraken in the Kaapo Kakko trade) and massively upgrading their forward group and changing their identity by trading for J.T. Miller two weeks ago.

Related: Why Alexis Lafreniere’s regression is major Rangers concern

Rangers general manager did good job ‘curing some things,” Dave Maloney says

For that, Maloney believes that another former Rangers captain, current general manager Chris Drury, deserves credit.

“Chris and his staff decided to go one way last July and that created some tumultuous stuff. But he rectified it, went out did what they had to do,” Maloney explained. “It’s a little different team now than it was in December. Chris and his staff need to be recognized for curing some things that needed to be cured.”

The results since the New Year are better, largely helped by a 10-game point streak (7-0-3) in January. The Rangers enter the current 4 Nations Face-Off break 11th in the Eastern Conference, just three points out of the second wild card.

Plus they are set up nicely ahead of the trade deadline for more additions, by creating extended room under the salary cap.

“[Drury] has done a good job, not having to eat salaries,” Maloney stated. “I think the blue line is significantly better acquiring both Borgen and Vaakanainen. They’re both bigger presence, good mobility. Borgen plays hard. He’s a little bit more mobile than [Ryan] Lindgren. When he needs to get somewhere, he gets there more quickly. Vaakanainen to me is impressive. I like his game. It’s solid. You don’t notice him a lot. He could warrant more minutes.”

None of this, though, diminishes the impact Trouba had on the Rangers, in Maloney’s mind. This all is a natural progression. But in his time, Trouba was a “legitimate leader” for this group.

Subscribe to the Rink Rap podcast on the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page

“There’s no question that the standard that he has set in his career has been somewhat compromised this season,” Maloney said on the Rink Rap podcast.

The former Rangers captain and longtime radio analyst pointed to a lack of consistency in Shesterkin’s game this season, taking away from his elite moments..

“We will set the parameters that he is in the top 3 goaltenders in the League still. But the standard that he set has been compromised this season,” Maloney explained. “There’s no question, you don’t get to the playoffs without quality goaltending. Does he need to be Igor in the last [27] games, yes, he does. Has he been consistently? No he hasn’t been.”

Shesterkin is on the way to posting the worst numbers in his five full NHL seasons. The 29-year-old is 18-19-2 with a 2.87 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and three shutouts this season. He’s allowed four goals or more in one-third of his starts, 13 of 39.

The standard for Shesterkin is his 2021-22 season when he won the Vezina Trophy as the top NHL goalie. He had a 2.02 GAA that season and ridiculous .935 save percentage. His numbers have creeped back up ever since, but that’s the elite standard he’s judged against. And one of the reasons why he landed the richest contract for a goalie in NHL history earlier this season, eight years, $92 million.

Shesterkin was brilliant last spring, leading the Rangers to within two victories of reaching the Stanley Cup Final. He did so despite the Rangers team defense being exposed as the postseason extended, particularly against the heavy Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.

That poor defensive play was at the heart of the Rangers caving in front of Shesterkin and backup Jonathan Quick during a 4-15-0 stretch earlier this season.

“There’s no question that the Rangers in front of him have not held up their end of the bargain … of playing a better defensive game,” Maloney said. “But that hasn’t been a strength during this recent time, they haven’t been a good defensive team.”

So, in other words, as bad as the Rangers played in front of their goalies, blame needs to be shared by Shesterkin.

Things are better now for the Rangers (26-24-4), who are 11th in the East and three points out of the second wild card. But Shesterkin’s struggled lately, 1-4-0 in his past five starts, allowing 17 goals in the four defeats. He sustained an upper-body injury before the start of the 4 Nations break and is expected to need 1-2 weeks to recover.

“The numbers haven’t been great. But he’s built a pedigree that you have to believe that coming down the stretch he’ll be closer to who he’s been than what he’s been this season,” Maloney offered.”

Related: Grading Rangers goalies, defensemen at start of 4 Nations break

Former Rangers captain lauds Jonathan Quick’s humility: ‘totally impressive’

Speaking of Quick, Maloney has nothing but the utmost respect for the 39-year-old, who recently became the 15th goalie in NHL history — and first from the United States — to win 400 games.

“His absolute humility for a first ballot Hall of Famer, and a goaltender, is impressive,” Maloney said.

Maloney pointed to that humility, as well as a tremendous drive and work ethic that set Quick apart. As someone who’s spent 50 years in the Rangers family, Maloney was able to draw on two comps to Quick — former Rangers Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist.

“No one outworked [them],” he said.

“There’s a compete there that does rub off (on their teammates). … When someone comes in with a pedigree as a winner, there is an impact. [Quick’s] humility and his compete and his aura at 39 have been totally impressive, totally impressive. You can see why winners are winners and he’s been a winner for those reasons.”

Quick is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, including twice as the No. 1 goalie for the Los Angeles Kings. During the 2024 playoffs, Rangers players raved about Quick’s leadership and calming presence despite the fact he didn’t play a single second in the 16 games, sitting behind Shesterkin the entire time.

Subscribe to the Rink Rap podcast at the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page

The former Rangers captain and current MSG Network analyst was disgusted with the Blueshirts lack of compete in a miserable first period that culminated with Artemi Panarin jousting with Flyers forward Travis Konecny. What infuriated Maloney, who was as passionate as they come during his playing days, was that no Rangers player came to their star forward’s aid. At one point he was surrounded by five Flyers without a Rangers player in sight.

“In all honesty, it made the blood boil a little bit,” Maloney said on air in a conversation with studio host John Giannone.

A measured but angry Maloney stated flatly, “The Rangers simply have to do things a little bit differently.”

Dave Maloney is even mad at the #NYR Listen to this. pic.twitter.com/yoDxyDPfWA

— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) November 29, 2024

What’s become so maddening about New York’s current five-game losing streak — above and beyond their one-and-done offense, allowing goals off the rush and giving up mind-boggling scoring chances one after another in their own end — is the lack of fight, literally and figuratively.

It’s been an issue pretty much throughout their 7-9-0 stretch that followed a hot 5-0-1 start to the season. The Rangers simply do not compete hard enough. They do not win enough battles. This was a major issue in the 2024 Eastern Conference Final loss to the Florida Panthers. And now it’s an issue this season, only this time against lesser lights like the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and Flyers.

There’s no excuse Saturday when the Montreal Canadiens come into the Garden for a matinee. The Canadiens of today (8-11-3) are last in the Eastern Conference and tied for 30th overall in the NHL. In no way do they resemble the Dynasties of decades past in Montreal.

Really, no excuses for the Rangers.

Related: Rangers injury update: Chris Kreider, Filip Chytil return against Canadiens

Rangers lack of compete level is concerning

Yet, the simple act of standing up for their best player, one who’s not rugged nor physical, on Friday was an issue. That’s with K’Andre Miller and Vincent Trocheck among those on the ice at the time .And Maloney was having none of it.

“Quick jab by Panarin, and Konecny goes right back at him. Now, where do all the other Rangers go? And where do the four Flyers go? And how long does it take to get the Rangers involved, maybe to kind of protect your best player?” Maloney questioned, with more than a hint of disgust.

Clearly, if general manager Chris Drury thought he was sending a message to fire up the Rangers when reports surfaced that he’s looking to make a trade — possibly shopping Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba — it backfired. Because not only are the Rangers still losing, their compete level hasn’t been impressive, nor improved.

One not as obvious example of the Rangers failure to compete consistently at an acceptable level is that they’re not drawing any penalties. The Rangers have had 12 power-play opportunities in their past eight games, a sign they’re not working hard enough to force opponents into taking penalties.

On top of that, the Rangers haven’t scored on any of those 12 power plays and are without one since Nov. 12. They’ve dropped to 14th in the League on the power play (20.4 percent). But that’s a whole other issue.

Let’s see what the Rangers have in store on Saturday against the Canadiens.

Speaking on Sirius/XM’s NHL Network Radio on Monday, Maloney raved about all that Rempe brings to the Rangers lineup and how hard the 22-year-old worked during the summer to prepare for the coming season.

Even though Rempe is battling to earn a roster spot here in training camp, Maloney said that the 6-foot-8 forward should be in the lineup and be allowed to play more minutes than the 5:38 he averaged over 17 regular-season games in 2023-24.

“I think he has all the tools to be a really good player,” Maloney explained. “It wouldn’t behoove [the Rangers] to play him 4-5 minutes a night. I think somehow they’ve got to figure out a way to get this guy’s minutes up and really give him a chance to see whether he can play beyond all of these [things] that have made him a cult hero.”

Of course, Maloney was referring to Rempe’s willingness to drop the gloves with the League’s top heavyweights, something that started on his first NHL shift when he fought Matt Martin of the Islanders in front of 79,000 fans at MetLife Stadium last February. He had 79 penalty minutes in those 17 games.

Even though Rempe took on-ice fighting lessons from former NHL enforcer Georges Laraque this summer, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette has stressed to the 6-foot-8 forward that the Rangers need more of an all-around game from him this season. Maloney not only agrees with the coach, he believes Rempe can be a game-changing force by playing a simple, physical game.

Laraque didn't mince words about Rempe 😳#NYR @GeorgesLaraque pic.twitter.com/utuUZWrL4n

— Dropping the Gloves (@dropping_gloves) July 15, 2024

“Last year he proved he could take a punch, he could throw a punch and he was willing,” Maloney said. “Now can he play? i think he has the tools to play. I think he gets on top of people. Like (Hall of Fame NHL coach) Freddie Shero said, ‘You arrive with some anger in your bucket in a straight line.’ He’s got that attitude.”

Maloney added how impressed he was that Rempe trained with Chris Kreider this summer and lived with Jonathan Quick and his family in Connecticut. And it appears to be paying off already in training camp, where Rempe’s skating seems much improved and his fitness level appears to be among the best on the team.

“By all accounts at the first three days of camp, he’s gained half a stride (skating), he’s gained, I think, 15 pounds,” the former Rangers defenseman noted. “I just think the big thing for him is what role are they going to put him in.”

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from 3-2 preseason win against Bruins

Matt Rempe wants to ‘be a hockey player’ for Rangers

Laviolette didn’t trust Rempe in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to play significant minutes or at all in close games late. But the coach is a fan of the youngster, who burst on the scene and took New York by storm with Rempe-Mania last season.

Rempe did not fight in 11 postseason games and did score New York’s first goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, in the second period of Game 1 of their first-round series against the Washington Capitals. And he’s consistently said the right things about wanting to be an all-around player whom Laviolette can trust moving forward.

“I want to be a player. I want to be a hockey player,” Rempe said at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase earlier this month. “(Fighting) is a part of the game and it’s a nice tool to have, but I want to be a fast, physical player first.”

He’s also made noise more than once that he wants to kill penalties and also get a shot playing his natural position, center, along with his work on the wing.

Laviolette likely will slow roll all of that. Right now, the Rangers would settle for Rempe to be a big physical player, who gets in the forecheck, chip in offensively and remain responsible in his own end. One that could play consistently with veterans Sam Carrick and Jimmy Vesey on the fourth line.

Though Laviolette refuses to say so, Rempe appears to be the frontrunner to land that fourth-line role to begin the season. Though he must hold off another giant young forward, 6-foot-7 Adam Edstrom, here in camp. Edstrom is not as physical as Rempe but is a good skater who scored two goals in 11 games in 2023-24 and had three goals in two rookie games here in September.

“They got a guy Edstrom, too, that’s got the same size, but doesn’t have the same bite,” Maloney said. “These two guys, and they both skate well, that could be a formidable pair in that bottom part of your rotation. Just have to find minutes for them to play.”

With how deep the Rangers are at the forward position, it’d be difficult enough to find regular minutes for one of them, much mess both. And if push comes to shove, it’s clear Maloney wants the Rangers to give Rempe the first opportunity — and a lasting one at that.

But that won’t keep Maloney away from taking part in the second annual Shoulder Check Showcase at Terry Connors Rink in Stamford, Connecticut, on Thursday.

“That was never a factor,” Maloney told Forever Blueshirts. “This is a movement and I plan to be there for it.”

The movement of which Maloney speaks is a simple one aimed towards children, most specifically teenagers, and has its ties rooted in hockey. The message is simple: Reaching out. Checking in. Making contact.

“I think this message is powerful, but it’s pretty simple in a time when a lot of things are complicated,” said Maloney, who’ll emcee the event Thursday that includes a hockey game featuring 30 NHL and PWHL players.

Rob Thorsen and his wife Sarah Thompson created the Shoulder Check movement after their son Hayden, a hockey goalie in Connecticut, took his life at the age of 16 in 2022.

“Our idea is just so simple and universal, everybody could use a hand on their shoulder,” Thorsen, a passionate Rangers fan, explained to Forever Blueshirts. “And it comes directly from my son and about who he was and not why he left us, and who he was was a hand-on-the-shoulder guy. … All he was doing was being kind, being an empathetic guy, and that’s not how you commonly describe a 16-year-old.

“You would notice him when he came into a room because he was big, 6-foot-3, and had a presence, but ultimately you would remember him because he was kind. So, we thought about what to do after (he died) and came up with ‘we all have a hand to give and you never know who might need a hand.’ Listen it’s hard to ask for help when we are struggling and we don’t allow ourselves space to be vulnerable, so the more of us out there willing to check in with one another, then you might find someone that needs some help and you can help create a space where it’s ok for them to be vulnerable.”

The Thorsen family, which includes 15-year-daughter Elke, has taken the Shoulder Check message into schools and local hockey rinks and, with the help of the NHL, expanded outside of the tri-state area. There was an event with the Washington Capitals this past season and many youth hockey teams and leagues around the country are involved, players standing next to each other in a big circle, each with a hand on another’s shoulder, everyone connected.

The organization provides kits to youth teams and leagues that wish to hold Shoulder Check events. The kits include aqua blue tape rolls, jersey patches and instructions about delivering the Shoulder Check message, and have been distributed not only to those who play hockey, but soccer and lacrosse teams have signed up, as well.

Though fundraising is part of what Thorsen and the 501c3 group does, there’s something more at play here.

“We’re not raising dollars, we’re raising awareness,” Thorsen explained. “My wife and I have marketing and advertising backgrounds. We’re two professionals building a brand for awareness. There’s a crisis of loneliness and paths of despair. We’re trying to teach about pre-intervention. Be kind. Reach out to someone.”

Related: Igor Shesterkin picks Sergei Bobrovsky as best goalie in NHL

Chris Kreider among three Rangers taking part in Shoulder Check Showcase

Chris Kreider — photo courtesy of ShoulderCheck.org

Chris Kreider will be taking part in the charity game Thursday for the second year in a row. He’ll be joined by Rangers teammates Jonathan Quick and Matt Rempe, and former Blueshirts Frank Vatrano, Kevin Hayes, Kevin Shattenkirk and Ryan Strome.

Kreider, like many others, became aware of Shoulder Check through Ben Prentiss, who runs the renowned Prentiss Hockey Performance training center in Connecticut. Hayden Thorsen trained at Prentiss and his jersey now hangs on a wall when you walk in, next to current Rangers defensemen Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller.

“Ben had the idea for the game. And Gary Zegras, the whole Zegras family (including Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras, who grew up in Fairfield County) were involved right from the jump. Chris Kreider was an outstanding advocate for us and still is. Trevor invited half the group that’s playing this year and Chris recruited the other half,” Thorsen explained.

Kreider told NBC that he’s dealt with anxiety and understands the pressures kids grow up with.

“Hockey players are supposed to be tough, supposed to play through everything but sometimes there’s stuff you really can’t see, stuff that’s not physical, that really weighs on you,” the Rangers forward said. “When you’re in it, you feel like you’re on an island and up until the last few years I didn’t really understand or realize just how many other people have experienced or are experiencing it.”

Kreider talking about anxiety and mental health before the Shoulder Check Charity event; love him #NYR pic.twitter.com/JcHvbF5Tmj

— Trilby (@trilbynotthehat) July 23, 2024

“Hockey is a very physical game,” Maloney added. “You use a shoulder check to create space. But here, the shoulder check is a sign of affection. We’re in this together.”

The first Shoulder Check Showcase last summer was a rousing success. Tickets are still available for the event Thursday, which begins at 4 p.m. and includes player arrivals and autograph sessions, plus the game, which is scheduled to begin at roughly 6:30 p.m. ESPN’s Arda Orcal will appear on a live stream from the event, and Maloney will emcee again, even with his foot in a cast.

“It was a wonderful event Year 1,” Maloney shared. “I hope it continues to grow. It’s a very powerful, touching story and an equally powerful message. Reach out. Touch someone.”

CLICK HERE for more information about the Shoulder Check Showcase and movement